A proposal to introduce a federal system in Solomon Islands is attracting some support but an academic is warning there could be detrimental consequences.
The nine provinces have been pushing for a devolution of powers from Honiara so they could have greater control over decision making and benefit more from their natural resources.
A professor of law at Auckland univerity, Bill Hodge, says if more power is given to provinces, it could eventually split the country apart.
He says Solomon Islands, like Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, is a group of islands still in search of nationhood.
"Increasing federal powers and provincial powers, has the danger, particularly with respect to money raising on the timber, on the fish - that that province, especially if it's a big one like Malaita, that the nation could disintegrate or by centrifugal force, fly apart."
Law professor, Bill Hodge.
